Steering device for turbine powered watercraft



H. U. SPENCE April 2, 1963 STEERING DEVICE FOR TURBINE POWERED WATERCRAFT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1960 N? vm ll..| HHIWU IH I I I I HHH INVENTOR. HENRY U.'SPENCE ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 H. u. SPENCE 3,083,530 STEERING DEVICE FOR TURBINE POWERED WATERCRAFT Filed Sept. 16. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 QEQI t" 2' "q- 0 (D ID 2 l' N I m I 8? 8 a' E w H e? o T (D gifi'gm E U I I I N 13$ I i k 9 g l o I l 9 N. N m 1 N I l m I Q Q g i u i i i i 3 I I .0 H R :0 Q

INVENTOR. HENRY U.SPENCE @aJEg ATTORNEYS v H. U. SPENCE April 2, 1963 STEERING DEVICE FOR TURBINE POWERED WATERCRAFT Filed Sept. 16, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 S R H mm um EE m M Mn 0 VI m y E H April 1963 H. u. SPENCE 3,083,530

STEERING DEVICE FOR TURBINE POWERED WATERCRAFT Filed Sept. 16, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 9

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HENRY u. SPENCE ATTORNEYS A ril 2, 1963 H. u. SPENCE 3,

STEERING DEVICE FOR TURBINE PDWERED WATERCRAFT Filed Sept. 16, 1960 Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 VENTURIS CLOSED VENTURIS REVERSE RESTRICTED VENTURI RESTRICTED FORWARD I RiZRSE 58,54 n4 56 E 42/1, "6 I I a '44 T. I20 :u

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, INV-ENTORJ n HENRY u. SPENCE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,983,530 STEERING DEVICE FGR TURhiNE PQWERED WAT RQRAFT Henry U. Spence, lainesville, @hio, assignor to Upson Machine Products, linen, Painesville, (thin, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 16, 1969, Ser. No. 56,510 9 (Ilaims. (Cl. 6il35.55)

This invention relates to a steering device for watercraft of the type employing a turbine to project a high velocity jet of water from the stern of the craft for propulsion purposes.

In the past, steering devices of various descriptions have been proposed for use in connection with craft of the type described. For one reason or another, however, these proposed devices have not proved entirely satisfactory. One particularly pronounced disadvantage of steering devices constructed in accordance with prior proposals lies in the fact that they are complicated and awkward. As a result, production costs are high, and maintenance is an ever present problem.

The instant invention proposes a solution to the various problems which have heretofore :faced the industry, and, generally speaking, includes a turbine housing provided with a venturi section which acts as a nozzle through which hydraulic jet streams are directed for propulsion purposes. Suitable propulsion control valving and deflection means are employed in association with the venturi section for the purpose of directing the jets either to port or starboard to impart to the craft a turning moment. These valving and deflector means may also be employed to deactivate forward propulsion jets, whereby to route flow through a manifold to forwardly directed nozzles for the purpose of activating reverse propulsion jets. Suitable valving means is employed to prevent flow through the reverse jet nozzles when the valving and deflector means in association with the venturi section are so positioned as to activate the forward propulsion jets. Novel linkage arrangements are employed for co-ordinating the operation of the valving and deflector means and the reverse propulsion control valving means in response to the operation of the various controls of the craft.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a steering device for use in connection with watercraft employing high velocity jet streams as propulsion means.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a steering device of the type described which is relatively simple in construction and positive in operation in order thereby to reduce both costs or" production and of maintenance.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a steering device for use in connection with watercraft employing hydraulic jet propulsion systems, which device utilizes means for directing the jet stream produced by the system to port or to starboard in order to impart to the craft a turning moment.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide in a device of the type described suitable reverse propulsion jets for imparting rearward motion to a turbinepowered watercraft.

It is still another object of the invention to provide in a device of the type described novel control linkage means tor co-ordinating the operation of the forward propulsion control valve means and the rearward propulsion control valve means.

It is an even further object of the invention in a device of the type described to provide dual purpose means which may be employed to deflect the forward propulsion jet streams either to starboard or port thereby to impart to the craft a turning moment, and which may further be employed to deactivate the forward propulsion jets without at the same time deflecting the same in such a 3,33,53@ Patented Apr. 2, 1963 manner as to impart a turning moment to the craft.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view with parts broken away of a watercraft embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic section taken approximately on line 22 of H6. 1;

'FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 6;

PEG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 5; 7

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of FIGS. 3 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a section taken approximately on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

'FIG. 8 is a section taken approximately on line 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to 'FIG. 5, showing the various components in an alternate position;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the components in a still further alternate position;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the various components when the steering device is oriented for straight forward propulsion;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the various components when the forward propulsion jets are deactivated;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the various components with the forward propulsion jects deactivated and with the reverse propulsion jets in the first stage of activation; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the various components with the forward propulsion jets deactivated and with the reverse propulsion jets completely activated.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I have illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 a watercraft embodying the invention, and indicated generally at it The craft includes a hull 12 having a bow l4 and a stern 16. The hull 12 is provided along its central axis with aturbine receiving tunnel 18 which opens rearwardly to the transom 20 at one end and downwardly to the keel area at the other. Mounted within the tunnel is a turbine indicated generally at 22.

The turbine 22 includes a housing 24 mounted within the tunnel 18 by means of suitable retainer plates 26 and Z8 and bolts 30 and 32. The intake 34- of the turbine is directed downwardly through the keel area of the hull l2.

Mounted within the housing 24 is a stator 36. An impeller 38 is mounted for rotation adjacent the stator 36 on the intake side thereof. A suitable drive shaft 40 provided with a universal joint 42 is employed for drivingly connecting an engine .4 to the impeller 38.

It will be observed that the housing 24 includes a rearwardly projecting portion extending through the transom 20 of the craft and provided with a-venturi section 46 for increasing the velocity of hydraulic flow subsequent to its passing through the stator 36. The free end of the venturi section 46 is so constructed as to provide a pair of substantially circular orifices db and 59 arranged in horizontal side by side relationship and through which the jet stream generated by the turbine is projected. 'Forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 of the butterfly type are mounted in the orifices '48 and 56 for rotation about vertical axes. As will be observed, the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 are provided with elongated vertical operating stems 56 and 58 for actuation by a control linkage to be hereinafter described.

The upper portion of the venturi section 46 is pro- -'vided with amanifold 60. The manifold 68 is provided with a generally cylindrical rearwardly directed fluid passageway 62 which communicates with the interior of the -venturi section 46 by means of a generally vertical take- .oif passageway 64. A pair of downwardly and forwardly directedelbows'66 and 68 communicate with the passageway 62 in the manifold by means of nipples 70 and .72 and branch passageways 74- and 76 which enter the passageway 62 at substantially right angles thereto; The

elbows 66 and68 act as nozzles for directing a pair of jet streamstoward the transom when it is' desired to impart rearward motion to .the craft.

A Arranged intermediate the ends of the passageway 62 is a suitable reverse propulsion control valve 78 illustends upwardly beyond the manifold 60. As will beo'bserved, the operating stems 56 and 53 for the valves 52 and 54 also extend upwardly beyond the manifold.

For purposes to be described hereinafter, a branch passageway 82 is provided which intersects the passageway 62 upstream from the valve 78. Conduit 84 is attached in fluid conducting relationship with the branch'passageway 82 by means of nipple 86 and elbow 88.

g The control linkage for the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 includes a rack and pinion assembly 99, which is mounted uponthe transom 20 ofthe craft as by means of bolts 92 and 94; Mounted upon the pinion --(not. shown) for rotation-therewith is a vertically oriented shaft 96. In the illustrated embodiment, the rack and pinion assembly is of the hydraulically operated type and is connected by meansof hydraulic lines 100 and 102 to a piston assembly 104 which is, in turn, connected to the steering wheel 98 of the'craft. Rotation of the-wheel 98 causes movement of the pistons (not shown) in the assembly 104 to force hydraulic fluid through the lines 100 and 102 thereby to' impart horizontal movement to the rackcomponent (not shown) of the rack and pinion assembly 90. Movement of .the rackcauses rotation of the pinion component (not shown) of the assembly and the shaft 96.

'In order to transfermovements of the shaft 96 to the forward propulsion control valves 52 .and 54, an arm 196 is provided which is fixedly mountedupon the shaft 96 for movement through ahorizontal arc.

- A second link-108 is pivotally mounted at 110 to the free end of the arm 106. As will be observed,-the link 108 extends from-the pivot 110 transversely of the arm 106 and terminates lat a position substantially over the central axis of the craft and of the venturi section 46. A pair of links 112 and 114 are pivotally mounted at 116 to the end of the link- 108 remotefrom the pivot 110. The

links 112 and-114 converge in the direction toward the how ofthe craft and, areconnected to the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 by means of relatively short links 118 and 120. The link 118 is keyed or other wise fixedly mounted at one end to the elongated operating stem-56, and at the other end is pivotally mounted as at 122 to the link 112. The link 120 ispivotally mounted at one end as at 124 to the link 1 14 and at the other end is fixedly attached to the elongated operating stem 58. As will be seenfrom the dr'awings, the links 118 and 120 movement of the steering wheel 98 will sufiice, through the operation of; the turn control linkages, to cause rotation of the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 about'vertical axes; If,"for example, the steering wheel 98 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the piston assembly link108 to translate toward the port side of the craft. Translation of the link 108 exerts a pulling force on the link 114 and a pushing force on the link 112. These forces are transferred to the links 118 and 120 causing them and the operating stems 56 and 58 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The rotation of the operating stems 56 and 58 pivots the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 9. These valves rotate together; and during the turning operationmaintain a generally. parallel disposition relative to one another.

The angular disposition attained .by the forwardpropulsion control valves 52 and 54 as a result of the rotation of the steering wheel; causes thejet stream, when passing through the orifices 48 and 50, to be. deflected at an angleto the central axis of the craft. This, of course,

. imparts to. the crafta turning moment. Counter-rotation of the steeringwheel causes the. control linkages to asj sume once again the position shown in FIG. 5, thereby causing the orientation of the valves 52 and-54 along the axes-of the orifices 48 and 50. When thevalves are so loriented,lthe jet stream is not deflected and a turning 7 DrivenBoats filed September 16, 1960. Generallyspeaking,'the bow steeringapparatus includes laterally directed =nozzles132 and 134-.which are connected in. fluidconducting relationship with the manifold 60 by means of the .lbranch passageway 82 and the conduit 84. Andiverter valve 136 is actuated by the control lever 130 acting in conjunction withlinks 138 and 140.

When movedforwardly and. rearwardly,..the control lever is operative tolcause'directionfof the jet stream generated by the turbine either tothe orifices48 and .50, a .or. to the reverse jet nozzles 66 and 68. Totheaccomplishment of this end, a 'cable:..142 of the pushepull variety is attached atione end to. the control lever130 in a well-known manner so that forward and rearward movements of .the. control lever .impart'similar movements to the push-pull cable.

At the other end, the cable is attached to a horizontal control rod 144 positioned above the venturi section 46 .of the turbine housingand zbelow theturn control linkages for the forward propulsion control valves 52' and V 54. As willbe observed,=the control rod 144 generally along the central axis of the craft.

' a The 'free end of the control rod 144 is mounted for reciprocation in a support:146 mounted rigidly 104116 a manifold by means of bolts'148 or the like, and spacer 150. To prevent undesirablerotation of the control rod vided in the rod.

. 144, a screw 152 is threaded into the support 146 for slidable movement withiha longitudinal groove 154 pro- A horizontally disposed cam plate 156 is fixedly mountedto the control rod 144 above the manifoldby means of cam plate supports 158 and 160. Obviously,

rearward and forward movements of the control-lever '130 are transferred to the cam plate through the operation of the cable 142 and the control rod.

A flat, generally circular operating disk 162 is non rotatably mounted upon the end'of the' operating stemof the reverse propulsion control valve 52. The operat- 104, hydraulic lines 100 and 102, and the rack and pinion assembly will ,act to cause clockwise rotation of the arm'106, as seen in FIG. 9. This, in turn, will cause the ing disk is positioned-above the manifold 60-and-lies below the cam plate 156 in a plane generally parallel thereto. 7 The ,cam'plate 156 is provided with a relatively shallow notch 164 which presents {flat elongated dwell;166 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cam plate.

A deeper notch 168 extends across a portion of the cam plate in communication with the relatively shallow notch 164. The notch 168 is provided, remote from the dwell 166, with a side wall 179 generally perpendicular to the dwell. The other side wall 172 of the notch joins the dwell 166 on an obtuse angle.

The operating disk 162 is provided with a pair of spaced follower lugs 174 and 176. Both such follower lugs are mounted upon the operating disk 162 in offcenter relationship, and are so arranged on the disk that a line drawn through their centers forms substantially a right angle with the plane of the reverse propulsion control valve 78.

An examination of FIGS. l l and 12 reveals that when the cam plate 156 is at the forward extent of its reciprocal travel, as a result of the forward placement of the control lever 136, both follower lugs 174 and 176 engage the dwell 166. As seen in FIG. 4, when the follower lugs are in this position, the rearward propulsion control valve 78 is arranged generally perpendicular to the axis of the fluid passageway 62 and the valve being so oriented, prevents flow through the reverse jet nozzles 66 and 68.

As the control lever 13% is moved rearwardly, the cam plate 156 moves rearwardly also under the influence of the push-pull cable 142 and the control rod 144. The rearward propulsion control valve 78 remains closed until such time as the leading follower lug 176 strikes the side wall 178 of the notch 163. The proportioning of the notch 173 with respect to the size and spacing of the follower lugs 174 and 176 is such that the trailing lug 174 clears the dwell 166 simultaneously with the striking of the leading lug 176 by the side wall 1781. Continued rearward movement of the cam plate 156 causes counterclockwise rotation of the operating disk 162, as seen in FIG. 13, until such time as both follower lugs lie against the side wall 170, as seen in FIG. 14, further rotation being thereby prevented. When the follower lugs both lie along the side wall 170, the reverse propulsion control valve 73 is full open to allow fluids to pass through the reverse jet nozzles 66 and 68 to cause reverse propulsion of the craft. When it is desired to deactivate the reverse propulsion jets, the control lever 130 is again moved forwardly, and the resulting forward translation of the cam plate 156 imparts to the control disk 162 a clockwise rotation thereby to close the reverse propulsion control valve 78.

Gbviously, if the reverse propulsion jets are to be effective, it is necessary that the forward propulsion jets be deactivated when the reverse propulsion jets are activated. This, in turn, requires a co-ordination between the operation of the forward propulsion control valves 52. and 54 and the reverse propulsion control valve 78. To provide for this coordination, an elongated link 1% is employed. The link 18% is mounted at one end upon the pivot 116 which, as previously noted, also serves as the pivot for the links 112 and 114. The other end of the link 18% is pivoted at 1152 upon a link support 184, which is slidably mounted upon control rod 144. A collar 186 is fixed upon the control rod 144 between the cam plate support 158 and the link support 184. Received around the rod 144 and bearing at one end upon the collar 186 and at the other end upon the link support 184 is a relatively stifi compression spring 188.

The operation of the co-ordinating linkage for the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 and the reverse propulsion control valve 78 will be more easily understood from reference to the schematic representations in FIGS. 11-14. FIG. 11 shows the orientation of the valves and the Various control linkages therefor when the craft is moving straight ahead. It will be seen that the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 are full open and the reverse propulsion control valve 78 is full closed.

Upon rearward movement of the control lever 13%, the

cam plate 156 is moved rearwardly away from the transorn 2 4?. At the same time, the stiff spring 188 is compressed between the collar 136 and the link support 184 thereby exerting a force against the link support which, in turn, imparts a rearward movement to the link 1641. As the link moves rearwardly, it pulls against the pivot 116 and forces the links 112 and 114 to spread with respect to one another thereby imparting, through the links 118 and 1211 clockwise rotation to the starboard forward propulsion control valve 54, and counterclockwise rotation to the port forward propulsion control valve 52. Progressive stages of the movement of the valves 52 and 54 may be observed in FIG. 13 and either FIG. '10 or 14. Obviously, the movement of the link 1811 also influences the link 108, but the latter merely swings about the pivot 116 without at the same time causing rotation of the arm 106.

The hydraulic jet stream issuing forth from each of the venturi section orifices 48 and 50 is, of course, deflected by the movement of the valves 52 and 54. No turning moment is imparted to the craft, however, since the jets cancel one another out.

It is important that the stiifness of the spring 13% and the length of the dwell 166 be so chosen as to allow the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 to close fully prior to the time the leading follower lug 176 strikes the side wall 171 of the notch 168 and the reverse propulsion control valve 178 begins to open. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the reverse propulsion jets would be to some degree reduced by the at least momentary lack of complete deactivation of the forward propulsion control valves. For this same reason, suitable stops i and 192 are provided to prevent over travel of the forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 as they close.

When it is desired once again to deactivate the reverse propulsion jets and activate the forward propulsion jets, the control lever is moved from reverse position to forward position to reciprocate the cam plate 156. The follower lugs 174 and 176 ride out of the notch 168 and into the dwell 166, thereby rotating the operating disks 162 to close the reverse propulsion control valve 76. The forward propulsion control valves 52 and 54 remain closed until, the follower lugs continue to slide along the dwell 166, the cam plate support 16% engages the link support 184 and forces the link 1530 forwardly towards the transom 20 which, in turn, acts upon the links 112, 114', 118 and 129 to open the forward propulsion control valves.

While I have illustrated the invention as being included in but a single embodiment, it will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art that a number of modifica- :tions could be made to the illustrated embodiment Without at the same time departing from the true spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, my desire to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A steering device for watercraftincluding at least two forward propulsion jet means, butterfly valve means in association with each of said forward propulsion jet means and rotatable about substantially vertical axes, means to rotate the valves in substantial parallelism to defleet the forward propulsion means for turning purposes, means to rotate the valves in opposite directions for deactivating the forward propulsion jet means and reverse valve means operatively associated with said means to rotate said butterfly valve means, said reverse valve means becoming activated upon movement of the means to totate said butterfly valves past the closed position of said butterfly valves whereby the last mentioned valves will remain closed and the reverse valve means will open.

2. In a watercraft employing turbine means to produce a high velocity hydraulic jet stream, and a venturi section through which the stream is projected for propulsion purposes, the improvement comprising: at least two orifices, at the f ee end of the venturi section and arranged adja- 

1. A STEERING DEVICE FOR WATERCRAFT INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO FORWARD PROPULSION JET MEANS, BUTTERFLY VALVE MEANS IN ASSOCIATION WITH EACH OF SAID FORWARD PROPULSION JET MEANS AND ROTATABLE ABOUT SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXES, MEANS TO ROTATE THE VALVES IN SUBSTANTIAL PARALLELISM TO DEFLECT THE FORWARD PROPULSION MEANS FOR TURNING PURPOSES, MEANS TO ROTATE THE VALVES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FOR DEACTIVATING THE FORWARD PROPULSION JET MEANS AND REVERSE VALVE MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MEANS TO ROTATE SAID BUTTERFLY VALVE MEANS SAID REVERSE VALVE MEANS BECOMING ACTIVATED UPON MOVEMENT OF THE MEANS TO ROTATE SAID BUTTERFLY VALVES PAST THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID BUTTERFLY VALVES WHEREBY THE LAST MENTIONED VALVES WILL REMAIN CLOSED AND THE REVERSE VALVE MEANS WILL OPEN. 